Gone
by Awsomaniatica
Summary: The loss of someone can have a devastating effect on all those who knew them. After Artemis' "death", everyone struggles in their own ways as they try to cope with her being gone for good. Each chapter is in different POV in a series of sort of loosely connected oneshots and mostly inspired by a certain song. Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the DC universe or the songs used.
1. Jade

**_Gone_**

_The loss of someone can have a devastating effect on all those who knew them. After Artemis' "death", everyone struggles in their own ways as they try to cope with her being gone for good. Each chapter is in different POV and mostly inspired by a certain topic or song. Please leave a review!_

* * *

_**Jade**_

_If you have to leave  
I wish that you would just leave  
'Cause your presence still lingers here  
And it won't leave me alone  
_

_These wounds won't seem to heal  
This pain is just too real  
There's just too much that time cannot erase…_

The chilly early evening breeze nipped at her coat, threatening to prick at her skin. Jade ignored the pesky wind as she firmly folded her arms and leaned against the tree. She watched the group gathered at the cemetery from her safe distance, not eager to join them. She still did not feel comfortable being around the heroes or her mom.

Jade felt a tug at her hair. She looked down at her young daughter who gave her a wide smile as she giggled. Although smiles are often known to be contagious, it wasn't enough to lift Jade's spirits.

Soon the group began to dissipate. Wally was the first to go by the former assassin, struggling to keep a normal speed. Pain was evident on his face, but he didn't seem very sociable at the moment. Jade couldn't help the pang in her heart. She should have been there for her sister, to protect her like she had promised when they were young and their parents were hardly there for them. A few girls hung together and cried as they passed, not even taking any notice of Jade who turned toward the direction of her tree.

Roy approached his wife slowly with heavy steps. "Aren't you going to go over?" He asked softly. "Your mother would like for you to be with her."

With her right hand placed on her left elbow, Jade glanced over at her sister's grave where only her mother and a blonde couple remained. Ollie gently placed a bow with a green ribbon tied around the handle against the tombstone. Paula was slightly hunched over in her wheelchair with her hands covering her face. Dinah rubbed her back in comfort and said words too soft for Jade to hear. Jade looked down, eyed fixed on the ground. She hoped to drive away any possible emotion. She was trained for so long to be strong no matter what.

"No, she wouldn't want to see me." She muttered.

Roy sighed and took Lian from her mother's grip. The baby clung to her dad and yawned before snuggling close, eyes drooped. He squeezed her hand with his free one. "I'll wait for you until you're ready."

The archer walked off to give her some privacy. Jade looked up to see her mom coming in her direction. She straightened as the older woman wheeled right next to her. Paula paused and looked directly at her remaining daughter. With that one look of pained sadness, Jade felt the walls that she had built up inside herself slowly start to crumble away. With a gentle pat, Paula gave a sad smile and moved on, leaving Jade alone by her tree, the cool breeze picking up again.

After a moment of staring at her sister's grave, Jade pushed herself to walk over. As she passed a few rows of tombstones, she caught something from the corner of her eye. Standing off to the far right was a lone figure standing near a large tree. Jade narrowed her eyes at the stranger wearing a bluish-gray coat with the hood up. Jade widened her eyes as she thought she saw a few loose strands of blonde hair blowing in the breeze.

"It can't be,' Jade quietly said to herself.

She turned quickly to chase down the suspected person of interest while failing to notice the stone angel directly at her left, bumping her leg hard. Jade looked down and rubbed her likely to be bruised leg, mentally cursing herself for being so careless. She looked back up to continue her trek when the mysterious figure was gone. Jade looked around everywhere, but they had vanished.

She spotted Roy waiting for her as everyone else had left. Jade glanced around again, but found that she was still alone in the cemetery. After questioning her current state of sanity, she turned back to the fresh grave now farther behind her. Even from there, she could see ARTEMIS CROCK engraved at the top. The name hit her so hard that she wondered if it could really be true, that her little sister was gone.

In the softest voice that was carried with the breeze, Jade replied as a single tear rolled down her cheek,

"Goodbye sis."

* * *

_Can you guess the song? ;) I love listening to music, so it is where most of my inspiration comes from. Now who do you think I should use next and/or is there a song you think will be fitting? _

_So terribly sorry for not updating anything these past few weeks. I've been busy and working. On my breaks, I would write like crazy since my inspiration has kicked up. Apparently keeping constantly busy helps… Anyway, I had this part written out for a while, but every time I'd sit down to type it up, I fall asleep. That's what long days do to you. And it is going to get hectic even more with school starting back up, so I will try to get something up whenever I can. :) _


	2. Wally

_Alright, I had the previous chapter in mind for a very long time with that. I now realized that it was probably the next night when Artemis had donned her disguise and left with Kaldur. Let's just say that the funeral had been the next day right after her "death" and she hadn't left yet. _

_Please leave a lovely little review for me. Oh, and I am obviously not Avril Lavigne. :)_

* * *

_**Wally**_

_When you're gone  
The pieces of my heart are missing you  
When you're gone  
The face I came to know is missing too  
When you're gone  
The words I need to hear to always get me through the day and make it ok  
I miss you_

* * *

Wally trudgingly walks into their apartment, never feeling so slow in his life. He recounted the moment he first heard about Dick's plan, Artemis' willingness, and finally her "death" After a while that night of her funeral, he sat on the couch, not even bothering to go to the kitchen to grab something to eat when his stomach growled. He wasn't in the mood. Nelson trotted over and put his head in Wally's lap. The dog looked up with sad eyes and whined. Wally patted his head before his phone beeped, indicating he got a text. He had groaned, when he saw Dick's name, considering throwing it hard against the wall so never having to answer him again. He sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose as he hit the button.

"_Meet us at these coordinates."_

Following the instructions, the speedster made it over to the warehouse in no time. His heart skipped a beat and he felt a hundred pounds lighter when he recognized the hidden feminine figure right inside. As soon as she turned to his presence, he rushed over and gave her a crushing hug. She buried her face in his coat in response. Artemis let go too soon for Wally's liking.

"It's time," She softly said, barely in a whisper.

He locked his eyes with her for a brief moment before having to look away in pain. Wally hesitantly nodded while squeezing her hands in his. He was going to savor the closeness of the moment for as long as he could. When he heard the recognizable voices of his two former teammates nearby, he closed his eyes and hung his head before reopening his eyes and walking forward with his head held high.

Soon it was time for the dubbed traitor and the "dead" girl to leave. When Wally saw the heart-breaking look that Artemis had given him, he had to turn away. As he watched the two walk into the submarine from his high point with Nightwing, he felt as if half of his self was leaving too. His spitfire paused and partially glanced back before the hanger door closed behind her and the craft submerged. Even after Nightwing left, Wally continued to stare out at the water, secretly wishing that the submarine would return with Artemis running back into his arms. The stillness of the ocean held the truth. She wasn't coming back now. She had a mission to fulfill and he needed to stay to support her even if the itching to grab an available scuba gear from the nearest place and dive after her continued to pester him.

Wally eventually turned away and slowly walked off. When he dug his hands in his pockets, he heard a crinkle in the left side. Pulling out the folded piece of paper, he opened it and read the brief note.

"_Stay strong Baywatch. We'll be together again soon. I love you." _

Wally smiled as he reread the message a few more times before carefully putting it back in his coat pocket.

For the days to come, through the struggles of missing his spitfire in his everyday life, Wally often found himself pulling out the little piece of paper and reading it again and again. Artemis knew exactly what he needed to be. _Strong_. They will get through this mission and be reunited, even if it may take a long time to do so.

"Artemis, wherever you are, I hope you're doing okay. I miss you."

* * *

_I apologize for my absence. I had this part and others planned out in my head and was going to put them up sooner, but life does get at you. I had a sudden death in the family last weekend and it has been very hard on everyone. I couldn't really write anything for a few days, but when I got around to it, everything just came pouring out. Hopefully the wait was worth it and I have other parts coming very soon._


	3. Conner

_I want to apologize ahead of time if I got anything from the episode wrong. I was trying to remember it after only seeing it once and that was a while ago. It took almost no time to come up with this part and I hope that I did Conner enough justice._

* * *

_**Conner**_

_Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend  
Somewhere along in the bitterness  
And I would have stayed up with you all night  
Had I known how to save a life_

The sounds of hard punches echoed through the currently empty halls of the cave. Conner was alone in the training room, taking his strength out on the black punching bag specialized just for the boy of steel. His blows increased in speed and strength as he glared at the poor bag. His eyes were clouded with the images of the small elite team fighting off Kaldur's forces in Cape Cod. Conner's fury continued to build as he replayed in his mind how La'gann took off on his own to take care of the enemy.

WHAM!

The bolted up punching bag flew across the room, knocking over the weights machine, the pole coming undone. Conner watched intently as a few loose weights rolled off briefly, falling flat. He couldn't help but wonder if that was the way his life was like now. Faced down like the 5-pounder that now lay a short distance away from his feet.

Conner then proceeded to pick up the heavy sports equipment and put it back in its place. His thoughts continued back to that failed mission the week previous. While he, Nightwing, and Artemis dealt with the oncoming troops on land to protect the rocket about to launch, M'gann had to go under the water to help La'gann with the trouble he got himself into.

Conner picked up the punching bag and leaned it against the wall.

"If only La'gann listened instead of trying to show off." He bitterly mumbled.

Conner was coming back from the blown rocket after warding off the attackers. From the corner of his eye, he saw Kaldur stab Artemis with his water crafted sword. The air escaped from his lungs as she had lost hers and tumbled to the ground, Nightwing yelling her name. Conner's own heart almost stopped when he could no longer hear hers beating…

In frustration, Conner slammed his fist into the wall, leaving a large dent. He slowly removed it from the wall, a few crumbles falling to the hard floor below.

"I should have been able to do something." Conner quietly said miserably. "I failed a good friend when I should have been completely focused and not concerned about the two of them being there." He opened his tightly closed fists and stared at the ground. "If only I had known how to save your life or gotten there sooner. I could have protected you."

Conner closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against the wall. The image appeared again of their ex-teammate stabbing the innocent archer girl. Conner's eyes snapped open and he huffed, not even caring that he knocked over the standing punching bag in his anger.

"Kaldur will pay for this." He promised aloud to himself as he stormed out of the room. "Next time I see him, he won't get off the hook so easily."

* * *

_For whatever is going on, never have the thoughts of "I should have done better/different" or "If only I could go back in time…" That's where you need to stop and go no further. Keeping those feelings will only bring you down into depression. There is no way to change the past so don't even get those hopes up. I have had so much trouble myself with those similar intriguing thoughts the weekend before. If we focus on now and what we have to wait for in the future as well as keeping those close to you near, it can help ease the pain and sadness. It will make it all the better if we can strive to better ourselves as well as help those around us who may be going through similar times. _

_Sorry for the little depression part from me. I just hope to help others who are struggling from a major loss like I have very recently or are stuck in a difficult spot in their life._

* * *

_For upcoming parts, I would like some input from you guys. I have songs in mind already for Lawrence, Paula, and Zatanna, but I need something fitting for Dick, M'gann, Roy, Ollie, Kaldur, and even Artemis. Those are the ones I plan to do. If there are any others that you think would be good, let me know. Oh and if anyone knows the exact date on the episode Depths, that would be awesome. Thanks for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and alerting. Stay tuned for more! :D_


	4. Zatanna

_This part first starts with the last time Zatanna had contact with Artemis before the grieving process sets in. There are going to be others similar to that format in the future. Who knows this song? Please R&R guys!_

* * *

_**Zatanna**_

_Music starts playing like the end of a sad movie,  
It's the kind of ending you don't really wanna see.  
Cause it's tragedy and it'll only bring you down,  
Now I don't know what to be without you around._

* * *

The young magician pulled her final trick and bowed for the small roar of applause. With a wide smile, she waved and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. The audience again cheered as the host came on stage to end the show. Zatanna watched unnoticed from behind the curtain for a moment until the people began to gather their things to leave. With a wide smile, she walked toward her dressing room, receiving brief congratulations on the show from the host and a few others from the stage crew. Zatanna thanked them before turning on her phone to see that she barely missed a call from her best friend. With excitement that continued to flow through her from her performance, Zatanna hit the call button and put the phone up to her ear. After three rings, she heard an answer.

"Hi Zee,"

"Hey Artemis, sorry I missed your call. I just finished my last show for the week." She replied, subconsciously waving her hand around.

"How did it go? Did you have a good turnout?"

Reaching the door, Zatanna jiggled the knob a few times and pushed up before turning it. She learned that little annoying trick a long while ago.

"It went well." Zatanna answered. "Not as good as an audience that my dad would get." She pushed the sad thought from her mind as fast as it had come. She would see Doctor Fate occasionally at League meetings, but it was never quite the same.

"Ah, don't worry about it," Artemis' voice assured her. "You're still young and they just don't see how talented you are, especially when you have to hold out on the really neat stuff."

Zatanna smiled as she pushed open the door and flicked on the light. "I guess you are right, but-" Zatanna stopped and look ahead of her with wide eyes. Sitting on the middle of the table was a huge arrangement of yellow roses.

"Zee, what is it?"

"Someone sent me flowers. It's a huge vase." Zatanna walked over and gently touched one bulb before examining around for a note, not having any luck. Artimis chuckled on the other line.

"Someone has a secret admirer."

"No name." Zatanna sighed, giving up her search. She leaned in to take in the fragrant smell when a thought occurred to her. "Oh, are you ready for our girls day out in a few days so you can take a break from classes and such? What should we start with first?"

Artemis interrupted her, "Actually, that's the reason I called before. We're going to have to cancel. Sorry, something came up."

Zatanna frowned at the news. "Okay, but we'll set another date soon, right?" They hadn't been able to hang out much since the archer retired and the magician was promoted to the big League. Literally.

There was a slight pause before Artemis answered. "Sure thing. Hey Zatanna, I have to get going. Wally will be back soon and you know how he gets when he misses a meal, even by a few minutes."

Zatanna gave a small laugh before they said their goodbyes. She stared at the phone as she saw the indication of call ended. She could tell in her friend's voice that there was something up that she didn't tell her. She eventually tried to brush it off as nothing to worry about. She learned it was best not to press on about anything from her best friend. Artemis would tell when she was ready.

Zatanna sat down her hat next to the flowers before absent-mindly twisting a large leaf gently in her fingers.

"You know that is a nice arrangement." Zatanna jumped at the voice in the room she thought she was alone in. "Wonder who they're from."

Zatanna whirled around and pinpointed the owner of the voice standing in the back corner of the room, nearest to the door. Her guest gave a wide smirk as he stood there with his arms folded across his chest and one foot balancing him against the wall. His wild yet tame black hair slightly hung over the top of his signature shades, obviously beyond the use of wearing them out in the sun as it was approaching nightfall and they were indoors.

"What brings you here?" Zatanna asked with a smile. Nightwing then took his foot off the wall and took a few steps forward.

"To see you of course. Wonderful performance by the way. Always magnificent. No wonder you got a huge bouquet of flowers."

She turned away as she brushed her hair over her shoulder to hide her blush.

"Thanks," She gazed at the flowers again, understanding now beginning to click in her head. "So why did you get me the flowers and make an unexpected visit to an old friend? Not that I mind of course. You usually do stuff like this for something."

"What? I can't surprise you?" He asked with a big smile. Zatanna stared at him with her arms firmly folded, clearly not convinced.

Nightwing raised his hands in defeat. "Okay you got me. I need a favor."

She knowingly nodded and had a small smile on her face. He did a quick visual scan around the room to make sure that windows and door were secure before continuing.

"With things getting more complex around the world, I need the perfect disguise for a future mission. I hoped that you could help me somehow with that."

Zatanna looked away as she pondered his request. She knew how much tougher everything had gotten, especially with these alien attacks and the shortage of League members.

"Please?" He pleaded. She gave a small laugh at his attempt to do a puppy dog look.

"I might have something that will work." She pulled out a necklace with a large medallion in the middle and handed it to him. She gave him the instructions on how to activate it. Nightwing gave her a genuine smile.

"Thanks Zee. Just please don't mention this to any of the League. They have enough to deal with and hopefully this mission will be quick." She returned the smile.

"You're the one that has been entrusted to lead the junior team. It is your call." Zatanna couldn't help noticing that he seemed relieved to hear that. She gave him a brief hug, figuring that maybe he needed to hear something like that to relieve all the stress he must have had.

As soon as he left after carefully tucking the pendant in his pocket, she turned back to the yellow roses and gently pricked one from the group and held it. Her thoughts went back to Artemis and their need to plan their fun-filled day the next available time.

* * *

It was March 23, four days after Artemis' death. Zatanna sat on the edge of her bed, her eyes red and puffy from all the crying she had done. A nearly empty box of tissues sat next to her, used ones scattered all over the bed and floor. It had been very hard since she first learned of her best friend's murder. She sat alone in her apartment and tried to get herself a little more cheerful by watching TV. She had turned the television off by this time, not able to endure the sad movie that she found. It just made everything worse again.

Zatanna got up and began putting the used pile of tissues in the waste basket before going to the bathroom to try to compose herself. Not able to look at her pitiful reflection, she turned away from the mirror and noticed a little sticky reminder note that she had made to herself. Looking closer, she teared up again as she read it.

"Today was supposed to be the day me and Artemis had our fun day." She thought miserably. "Why couldn't it have been sooner?" Zatanna chocked out.

She slid her back down the wall and sat on the tile floor, her face in her hands. It had been hard when she lost her dad to Doctor Fate, but a little bit easier to get over it as she held the hope of the chance that he could be himself again. As she closed her eyes, the image came to mind of the little girl that she and Artemis had encountered while on their girls night out that Halloween night five years ago. Greta's pale figure stood in there before disappearing. Zatanna opened her eyes and stared out, wondering if there was a chance that Artemis could return again like Secret had. She shook her head, ridding her mind of such foolishness.

"That was a special case." She mumbled.

After a few more minutes of sitting in the silence and alone, her cell phone buzz. She pulled it out to see she got a text from Raquel, asking where she was since they were supposed to meet at the nearby diner. Zatanna rubbed her cheeks from the leftover tears and responded an apology and promise to be there soon. Zatanna was grateful for Raquel to be reaching out like this to spend time with her and help raise her spirits. She even felt the corners of her mouth slightly raise at the thought as she got ready.

* * *

_This turned out a lot longer than I expected. I just kept writing and this is the result. I wanted to come up with a way for Dick to ask Zatanna for help on the disguise to where she wouldn't suspect anything and with her grieving over her best friend, it'd be a little hard to. She also had to deal with losing her father too so this feeling isn't completely new, but it's still tough nonetheless. _

_This story has been helping me get out my feelings a little bit. I felt like Zatanna sometimes where I'd start crying over random little reminders here and there. The best thing to do for a grieving person is hanging out with others to help bring them back and ready to live their life again. I know this firsthand and who is having the toughest time with everything. Spend time with those willing to help you. They are hurting too. Hopefully any of you that have experienced loss in any way will be able to do the same. :)  
_

_I would like more ideas of songs to use for people please! I have only gotten a couple.  
_


	5. Lawrence

_Sportsmaster was a little difficult to write and the shortest chapter so far. This particular song was suggested by Hockeygirl28. I have never heard of it before this and it fits so well with their relationship, with his point of view instead of hers. I suggest you look it up. "For the Love of a Daughter" by Demi Lovato.  
_

* * *

_**Lawrence**_

_It's been five years since we've spoken last  
And you can't take back  
What we never had  
Oh, I can be manipulated  
Only so many times,  
Before even "I love you"  
Starts to sound like a lie  
_

* * *

It had been five years since he had spoken to his younger daughter. Just when he thought that she was strong enough to be considered a real soilder, she decided to help out her "friends". Lawrence knew his daughter was talented, she only didn't make what he thought were the right choices. Words of the past echoed through his mind of the last time she spoke to him, when they had briefly caught him shortly after the League takeover attempt. (**AN: End of season 1**)

"_So you would turn your back on your father?" Sportsmaster harshly asked through the bars. Artemis didn't say a word as she tightened her lips and arms folded in front of her. "I am your own flesh and blood. I taught you all that you know." He gestured to the bow hanging on her back. "You're making a mistake joining these pathetic heroes. Come back to your rightful place with us, where you belong." _

_Artemis shook her head as she glared at him harder. "I can only be manipulated so much before everything you've ever told or promised turns out to be a lie. You were never my father, never a real one that I needed. I was only an assassin in training to you." _

_Sportsmaster watched as she boldly walked away, not even bothering to look behind her… _

Lawrence put down the bottle and rubbed his head. He normally wasn't one for drinking much, but after hearing about his traitor daughter's death, it can take a bit of a toll on a man. He first heard about the news from whisperings around when visiting one of Ra's Al Gul's bases. As soon as Lawrence heard his daughter's name and death in the same sentence in hushed whispers, he whirled around and pinned the source to the wall by the firm grip on his shoulders, demanding to know exactly what he was talking about. All relations to Shadows knew it best not to really mess with Sportsmaster's daughters, even if one of them was a hero. In defense, the newbie told him of the incident at Cape Canaveral. **(AN: I accidently called it Cape Cod in chapter 3. I should know this being I only live in the same state… *facepalm)**

So now Sportsmaster sat alone at the counter, his hand firmly gripped around the bottle as he was fuming in anger. "This Kaldur'ahn will pay for this." He grumbled as he stood, throwing down the bottle hard enough to break before slamming the door behind him.

Artemis had turned her back on her family and stayed with her weakling of a mother long ago. He shouldn't even care that she's gone. That's what happens when you're in the hero business. You eventually get taken out. So why did he feel like he had been stabbed in the heart?

* * *

_Oh, I want to thank all of you who have favorited, reviewed, and added alerts so far. More reviews would be nice though. I would really like to hear your input. :) Paula may be the next one in line. I need some more songs too please! _


	6. Paula

_Hopefully this turned out a lot better than the previous chapter. It was extremely hard trying out Sportsmaster and something I know that I won't do again in the near future… I am quite proud of this chapter so please read and review. I really love to hear what you think and if there's anything else that could be done. :)  
_

* * *

_**Paula**_

_It's hard to deal with the pain of losing you everywhere I go  
But I'm doing It  
It's hard to force that smile when I see our old friends and I'm alone  
Still Harder  
Getting up, getting dressed, living with this regret  
But I know if I could do it over  
I would trade give away all the words that I saved in my heart  
That I left unspoken_

* * *

Not a sound was heard in the nearly empty apartment. These were how days have been for a while, but heavy sadness now hung around every inch and space. Oliver Queen had offered Paula a chance to live somewhere else, better and closer to someone who could help assist her. She had denied, content to stay in the place that had years of memories. He did come and visit just yesterday to check up on her which was a little over two weeks since…

Paula wheeled past her daughters' old bedroom and stopped. She hesitantly pushed open the door and went in. both beds were neatly made. They had been completely untouched for a couple of years now. That's when Artemis left to live on her own and pursue college and left Paula to live alone. Artemis at first was torn for the possibility of leaving her mom, but Paula insisted that her youngest daughter go after that scholarship and that she could manage living on her own. She had left everything alone in Artemis' room after she left, not wanting to mess a single thing up. Paula was glad her daughter was so happy. Artemis had called home at least once a week to check up on her mom of which Paula was forever grateful. She still kept her hopes up during those days that Artemis would return home for visits more frequent then holidays and sometimes birthdays.

Paula picked up the picture on the dresser of Jade and Artemis as young girls, a half a year before Jade took off. Paula gently touched each of her daughter's faces with her thumb, her vision becoming blurred from oncoming tears. Oh how she missed them both. She put the picture back down neatly before sniffling and wiping away the tears with her sleeve.

She wrapped her fingers around the wood frame of the new picture that sat in her lap. Picking it up, she sadly smiled while examining the details. This new photo had been taken over a month prior. Artemis was wrapped in the arms of Wally, her eyes slightly squinted and a wide smile across her face that gave evidence she was most likely laughing. Wally had a mischievous look in his eyes and a smirk which led Paula to believe that he was most likely tickling Artemis.

Paula carefully positioned the new photo next to the other one. In both, Artemis was so happy. She was with the ones she loved. Paula's gaze went back to the sisters, her sadness flooding back. She had lost both of her daughters at one point, but now, one was never going to come back. Feelings of regret hit her hard and she closed her eyes.

"I should have been there more for the both of you." She said aloud, barely above a whisper. "I should have been a better mother. There was still so much that I should have said—when you were still here."

She opened her eyes and picked up the old photo once again. She stared at little Artemis, so young and full of life. Just as she had been before… Paula put the picture back down in its spot and continued to stare at it. Artemis was strong, smart, and a warrior. Paula couldn't help being proud of what her daughter had done; the kind of life she chose to live.

Paula looked at Jade. She had to remember that no matter how hard losing Artemis was, she still had another daughter and she shouldn't give up on her either. She also loved Jade and felt like she should try to show it to her more often.

Paula began to wheel out of the room, yet not before looking back at the pictures that stood side by side, both containing the daughter she suddenly lost. She knew in days to come, she would still cry over Artemis, just as she had done when Jade didn't return, but she would also remember what kind of young woman Artemis had grown up to be. Headstrong and a hero, something Paula could have never chosen for her. The mother couldn't be happier.

* * *

_I cried a lot while writing this chapter. I wanted to leave it on a more positive note and for Paula to be ready to go after Jade, realizing that she was still important to her too. It is very hard to think about how one had lost their child which is what I tried to do whenever Paula's mind went to it. She didn't want to and focused on distracting herself._

* * *

_I also want to dedicate this chapter to those parents who had lost a child, especially at a young age. The whole family gets affected as well. You may feel that you didn't have enough time to spend with the one you loss and wish that you had known ahead of time or want to prevent it. It's something that you can't control and is out of your hands. Instead, take that child to memory and remember all the time spent with them no matter how short that time could have been. And keep those you already have close to you now so you will never have to live in regret. Whatever you believe, I know that I will have the chance to be with those loved ones who had already passed on later and right now they are watching over those who are still here. _


	7. Dick

_I want to thank again all those who have been following along with this story. Especially Hockeygirl28, XRedVengeance, and Shapeshifter99 who have helped me out with it. This particular song was suggested by Shapeshifter99 which I think perfectly fits and is an awesome song. Thank you again! Guess this song._

* * *

**Dick**

_I need another story  
Something to get off my chest  
My life gets kind of boring  
Need something that I can confess…. _

_This time, don't need another perfect lie  
Don't care if critics ever jump in line  
I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

* * *

In his costume, Dick scanned through the holographic files contained in the main cave's system. He was still trying to get any clue to this invasion puzzle among many other pressing matters. He rubbed his forehead and closed his eyes tightly before reopening them, reminding himself that he needed to take some aspirin.

After patrol last night, he couldn't get much sleep, especially knowing what complications this day was bound to bring. He had received a an encrypted message during his night watch about the rocket satellite to be targeted. He had responded back, "_Time to enact plan."_

There was a discussion about bringing someone else in to go undercover and the only way to make that person disappear from the map wasn't agreeable to everyone, even Dick. Yet, they knew it was the only way.

Dick's nerves were starting to get to him as he tried to put his focus back to his research. Tonight had to be flawless. No mistakes. Whatsoever. Mal Duncan came in and the two talked about what had happened in the recent weeks. Dick internally groaned. "_Why did things have to get more complicated?"_ He thought.

Soon, the Zeta Beams churned and the computer voice announced the arrival. "Artemis B07." Even though the archer and speedster made the decision to retire, their information was kept in the system, knowing that they would be called back into action. Like today.

The recognizable squealing of M'gann was heard and Dick stepped away from the massive computer. Once the excited Martian let go of her old friend after a huge hug, Artemis looked up at Dick as they gave a short greeting. She stood up straighter and stared at the leader. He instantly understood her expression. Artemis was ready. Dick just hoped he made the right decision.

* * *

Dick stood alone in the abandoned dock house in Bludhaven. The night air was chilly and he adjusted the collar of his uniform. Things had gone wrong on the mission. The rocket still exploded of what he assumed was previous sabotage and a teammate was kidnapped through it all. He knew that La'gann would be kept safe enough for the time being, but Kaldur could only do hold off so much without being compromised. At least they were able to stage Artemis' death.

Dick stared out in the dark ocean, wondering just how deep he managed to pull himself under with all these secrets and deception. As far as he could tell, everyone believed in the lie of her death. He couldn't help the feeling of guilt that still plagued him.

It was tough enough as his days as Robin, knowing all of their identities and most secrets when they weren't even allowed to know his real name. With years of practice Dick had become a professional at keeping things quiet. He cringed at the thought.

"And deceitful," He mumbled to himself. Just like his former mentor, Dick had learned to keep secrets so much that it was from the rest of the team and League. If Batman had been there, he probably would have gotten discovered for sure.

Dick tossed a small rock into the water. "Time will only tell how this will all play out." He quietly said to himself. His eyes briefly widened in realization of another flaw he overlooked that appeared during the recent weeks.

"_Hopefully Bart will not say anything if he knows."_ Dick began to ponder the thought further, curious of the outcome. He shook his head to stop his current strain of wondering He knew it best not to question about the future and risk changing too much. The time stream is extremely delicate and not to be messed with. He pinched the bridge of his nose with the current ache of thought.

Dick pulled up the picture he had sneakily taken five years ago of when Artemis first started at Gotham Academy. Bruce had told his ward to keep an eye out for the new girl as he had put her through the scholarship in hopes to give her a better life. And how everyone probably believed that Nightwing helped lead the archer to her death.

We'll laugh about this someday." He whispered to the picture sadly. Deep down he hoped that he still could.

After the little meeting with Artemis and Kaldur, Dick and Wally watched as the submarine submerged.

"We're past the hard part. They're in." Dick replied hopeful.

Wally turned and glared at him as he replied darkly, "Who are you kidding? It only gets more dangerous from here."

Dick had hoped that his secrets would easily hold under the water where the two had gone and everything would turn out fine. Yet, as Wally said, this was only the beginning of harder things to come. Would it all be worth it in the end?

* * *

_I really liked how this part turned out. The whole song actually captured Dick's feelings, but I didn't want to put too much up. And more like he probably wished that he could give his secrets away or at least these and knew he couldn't. Please leave me a review and stay tuned for more. If you haven't already, be sure to add this to alert. ;) _


	8. Ollie and Dinah

_If anyone is interested, I came up with a oneshot sort of inspired by the previous chapter of this story. It is called Secrets. Now get ready for another tearjerker chapter. I applaud you if you are able to figure out this song. Thanks to Hockeygirl28 for yet another song suggestion. As soon as you finish with this chapter, don't forget to check out her stories too!_

_Oh, and this takes place a little over a week since her death. Sorry they have all been jumbled on the timeline. I go by whoever I'm inspired to use next and the best date for when that fits.  
_

* * *

**Ollie and Dinah**

_Oh why, there's no comprehending  
And who am I to try to  
Judge or explain  
Oh, but I do have one  
Burning question  
Who told you life wasn't  
Worth the fight  
They were wrong, they lied  
Now you're gone and we cry  
'Cause it's not like you to  
Walk away  
In the middle of a song_

* * *

Oliver Queen slugged through the front door and put his briefcase down. After an excruciating long day at work, it was hard to focus with his mind running with the recent troubles of his "other" life. He plopped down in his armchair and leaned his head back as he closed his eyes. Hearing soft clanking footsteps, he snapped his eyes open and jerked forward. Ollie soon relaxed when he saw Dinah coming into the living room while putting on her earrings and pushing a loose strand of hair back. Once he took in her fancy attire, he groaned, running his hand through his hair before it flopped back down along the top of his forehead.

"The party is tonight, isn't it." He said in more of a statement. Ollie stood up. "I can be ready in a few minutes."

As he was about to walk past Dinah, she put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"You're not going anywhere yet. It can wait." He sighed and looked down to avoid eye contact. In a soft voice, she tenderly asked, "Ollie, what's wrong?"

His silence and frown answered her question. Dinah gently wrapped her arms around him from the back and leaned her chin on his shoulder. Ollie stared ahead at nothing as he barely brushed against her hands.

"Want to talk about it?" She asked now gently massaging his shoulders.

He closed his eyes and mumbled, "I'm a failure,"

Dinah stopped her current action of comfort and walked over to directly face him. "Ollie, you can't believe that."

"Well, it's the truth," He said, slightly raising his hands and voice to emphasize. He half turned away from her as he continued, "I shouldn't be allowed to have any charges since I lose them all in some way. First it was the original Roy that for years I didn't even know I was missing for years. He seemed to change some, but I figured that it was part of growing up as a teenager. Then for a while we tried to track down this Roy and bring him back after he lost himself to find the first. After finally finding the original Speedy, Roy was starting to come out of it and look better. Now this happened."

Ollie collapsed back down on the chair with his face in his hands. Dinah took a seat across from him and reached for his now clasped hands and held them in hers.

"I don't deserve to be called a hero." He mumbled while closing his eyes.

Dinah sternly looked at him and tightened her grip. "Oliver, look at me!"

He slowly lifted his head and hesitated to look into her eyes. Once he finally did, she continued with fierceness in her voice.

"You are a hero, always will be and have been a fantastic mentor. It took a lot of patience in teaching your former sidekicks; shaping them to be great. They have each come a long way from when they began." She softened her voice and grip as sadness became evident in her eyes. "Artemis was a true warrior, fighting for the good of the people even after all she had gone through in her life. You have helped her see and achieve that as well as Roy. You can't give up. Do you think Artemis would ever allow that if she was here?"

Ollie stared at the ground, contemplating her words. Dinah leaned in closer and added in a voice barely above a whisper,

"She continued fighting for justice until her end which is what we all strive to do." Dinah paused, searching Ollie's face for clues on what he could be thinking. She closed her own eyes and admitted, "She was like a niece to me too. I will forever miss her."

The archer looked up to meet his partner's sad smile. He gave her hands a loving squeeze.

"Thank you Dinah." She returned the gesture. The two sat in silence for a long moment before he stood up, pulling her with him. "I think it's time to visit Paula to see how she's doing."

Dinah nodded in agreement, adding quietly, "And Wally at some point."

Ollie let his shoulders fall briefly at the realization of just how many others were really close to the spirited archer girl.

"Yes, Wally too,"

The pair left hand in hand, seeing more important matters to attend to than a silly little party.

* * *

_Yeah… Please tell me what you think so far on this fic. As of now, I have five left to go before it will be finished. This is the current planned order for the rest: M'gann, Roy, Barry, Kaldur, and Artemis. I am also willing to take suggestions on this and other future works. Don't forget to add an alert if you haven't already and leave me a review! Sorry I don't have anything I can give you except more chapters. The more reviews I get, the faster updates will come though. :) _


	9. M'gann

_I started on this part almost immediately after posting the previous chapter and planned to have it up last night… I had to study. :P Hopefully this will meet up to your expectations. M'gann was a little tough to write. Please forgive any spelling mistakes. I already had to edit this chapter when something big was pointed out.  
_

* * *

**M'gann**

_But I don't have a hold on what is real  
Though we can only try  
What is there to give or to believe  
I want it all to go away I want to be alone  
Sympathy's wasted on my hollow shell  
I feel there's nothing left to fight for  
No reason for a cause  
And I can't hear your voice and I can't feel you near_

* * *

_Dream sequence… _

_In her temporary mermaid form, M'gann quickly swam over to the underwater crafts to save her boyfriend. The telepathic signal was numbed when he must have gotten knocked out. As she prepared to attack, Nightwing called for her to help stop the missiles. All was going fairly well with the team's victory in sight and M'gann minutes away from rescuing La'gann when a loud telepathic gasp echoed through her mind before feeling completely blocked off from Artemis. The Martian tried hard to retrieve any trace of her friends natural brain signal and got nothing. Once she caught Connor's frenzy as he kept repeating the archer's name in a mournful way, she sprang up out of the water to watch their leader attempt to resuscitate Artemis. M'gann tried to reach her Earth sister again, but got nothing but hollowness that she felt like was in herself. She was desperate to scream while no sound could come out of her mouth… _

M'gann woke up with a jerk, panting rapidly and eyes widened in shock. She gripped the cushion underneath her as she looked around to her slightly darkened surroundings. She was on the sofa in the cave where she must have fallen asleep for the fifth night in a row. She really needed to make it to her bed tonight. M'gann hadn't been sleeping much since their Cape Canaveral mission nearly a week ago.

She dropped her hands in her lap and took notice of the dark blue blanket covering the bottom half of her body. Her eyes narrowed in confusion, not remembering having one around her before she fell asleep. She soon gave up on the mystery and brought her legs closer to her, wrapping her arms tightly around. It felt a little degrading that this blanket was basically one of the few things to bring her comfort in a while.

M'gann thought back to her reoccurring nightmare that was all too real. Not only had La'gann been taken by the enemy, but Artemis was now gone from them forever. M'gann was tempted to go on the search for their ex-teammate or get answers from one of his men, but Nightwing strongly advised against it. He told her that they first needed to find out where he was and be rational about La'gann's rescue. He couldn't risk losing her too if she went on her own. M'gann eventually let it drop and waited for the precise moment to take action once they found their object. Nightwing continued to scout out any of his free time in trying to track down the one traitor who had caused all this trouble. They all strived to bring back their missing teammate, yet nothing could ever be done to bring Artemis back.

The Martian started slowly rocking back in forth as more memories haunted her. This time it was of their telepathic training. Artemis was the first to go and everything went ballistic soon after. Her feeling of guilt had poked at her because she had unknowingly taken full control of the simulation and trapped them all. She was glad that none of it was real and Artemis was safe and well. M'gann put her chin on her knees, hugging herself tighter, wishing that she could just wake from this living nightmare and everyone would be back where they needed to be.

M'gann glared at nothing in particular, her thoughts seething in anger. She mumbled under her breath, her eyes beginning to glow, "I will make him pay. He will not get away with all our suffering."

A plan of revenge began to form in her mind, the way she knew best to find out why and stop the enemy from doing harm again.

"M'gann?"

The Martian blinked her eyes a few times before they returned to normal. She turned her head to the source if the voice. The young green teen held a cup of juice in his hands while looking slightly worried. M'gann put on a smile to mask her real feelings as she coaxed her adopted brother closer.

"What are you doing up so early Gar?" She sweetly asked. He gingerly sat on the edge of the sofa a small distance from M'gann.

"Thirsty," He merely replied while holding the cup close to him. "Are you okay?" He blurted out after a brief silence. "I feel like I haven't seen you in a while."

She scooted closer and ruffled his hair. "Of course," She said in the most cheerful voice she could muster. "There's nothing to worry about."

She inwardly cringed at her response. Of course there were plenty of things to worry about. She only wanted the animal shapeshifter's happiness to radiate off of him like it normally did. Her hands rubbed against a softness and her attention was caught by the blanket again. She felt a little bit cheerful as she felt like she understood the tiny mystery.

"You didn't have to cover me with a blanket, Gar. You could have woken me up."

He shook his head. "It wasn't me. It was Connor."

She raised her eyebrow in surprise before instantly shrugging it off like nothing. He was only forcing himself to be nice to her. The boy of steel didn't mean anything to her anymore, at least that's what she tried to convince herself.

To stop dwelling on unnecessary matters, she gave a wide smile and said, "It's time to go back to bed. It is still much too early."

She stood up and draped her arm around the younger boy's shoulder. Gar glanced up at his sister with a slight frown before letting her guide him back to his room. M'gann kept her gaze ahead and focus on darker matters. The once happy Martian who cared about everyone's well being no matter who they were, was consumed by raw damaging power and bent on revenge.

* * *

_I'm sure that Connor wouldn't be the only one seeing what M'gann has been doing and worried about her. For M'gann to really see what she is doing as wrong would most likely involve some sort of huge accident to really open her eyes and see. This took a different direction then I originally had planned when I remembered about the Failsafe mission and her slowly turning into Darth Vader. _

_Now I most likely won't have the next part up until Friday night or later since I have a couple of tests to take which I really should be studying for right now… Anyway, leave me a review! :D _


	10. Roy

_Thanks for all the favs, follows, and reviews guys! You have no idea how happy it makes me feel getting messages that people are reading what I wrote. You are all awesome! _

_This is a bit of a recap of chapter one. Some chapters connect to each other if you haven't noticed yet. And I forgot from the beginning to apologize for any OOCness and other mistakes. I think Roy was a bit here, but oh well. I wanted to do this. With excuses aside for not updating sooner other than babysitting the past couple of days, here is the next chapter. Enjoy! _

_Oh and this was a song suggestion by Shapeshifter99. I originally had something else planned for Roy, but this song worked out much better. Hopefully you all like it. :)_

* * *

**Roy**

_Your heart is full of broken dreams  
Just a fading memory  
And everything's gone but the pain carries on  
Lost in the rain again  
When will it ever end  
The arms of relief seem so out of reach  
But I, I am here_

* * *

Roy was in utter shock when he first learned of the tragedy from his former mentor. As far as he knew, Artemis had retired over a year ago along with Wally to focus on their studies and have a somewhat normal life. A few memories of the young talented blonde archer girl flashed through his mind as Ollie hesitantly explained her great fall. The girl he had despised the first moment he met her. The girl who had rightfully earned her place with the young heroes. The girl who he later could pass as bickering siblings with, especially when he'd secretly married her sister. It couldn't have been the same Artemis.

Jade came in during the last half of his upsetting phone call. When she heard her sister's name and a failed mission spoken of along with Roy's deep frown and shrugged shoulders, she attacked him. Her husband pinned against the wall, the assassin followed through with a deep interrogation of what happened. After sad explanations, she practically collapsed on the floor. Roy had never seen Jade break down like that. Her visual grief was short lived, she became convinced that it couldn't have been Artemis that was killed. Her sister was too strong for that. There must have been some mistake or this was some kind of cruel joke the heroes were trying to pull.

It took Roy a bit of convincing and some threatening for her to come to the funeral. After they returned to their rundown apartment and Lian asleep in her crib, he found Jade leaning against the wall, her mind obviously elsewhere. Jade had hardly spoken a word today and was completely silent since her sister's service. Jade normally was quiet, but it bothered Roy more now until she finally spoke in a barely audible voice.

"She's still alive," Jade kept her gaze intently at the wall. Roy exhaled, letting his hands drop in front of him.

"Jade…"

Her head snapped to the left, her eyes burning assuredly at him.

"Roy, I know it in my gut!"

He shook his head slowly. "We just buried her."

It had taken him a while to get over the fact that his formal rival died. He lost hope of any possibility Artemis ever returning when at the funeral.

"Didn't you notice that the casket was closed? They could have been lying!" She exclaimed.

Roy momentarily shut his eyes tightly before trudgingly moving forward towards his wife. He attempted to reach out to comfort her before dismissing the idea. He knew she would only smack his touch away.

"Jade," He softly replied, "I couldn't believe it either, but I've had to come to the fact that Artemis is gone. I know it's hard. You just have to accept it."

If Jade had heat vision, Roy was sure he would be dead by now from the angered look she gave him.

"Artemis is alive! I saw her Red. After the funeral when everyone else left." She saw the doubt linger in his eyes. "I know now that I couldn't have imagined her. She was too real—and I'm not giving up until I find her."

Jade snatched up her pack with all her things and had her mask in one hand. Roy grabbed her empty hand tightly. He searched for the right words to say. As his mouth opened with no sound, Jade pressed hard on the pressure point in his arm, automatically releasing from his grasp. He looked at her with a panged expression, her own softening slightly.

"I have to,"

The door slammed hard behind Cheshire, the walls quietly shaking. Roy stared at the closed door. Soon, cries from the bedroom rang out, diminishing the silence that he was left in. Roy sighed before going to coax his daughter back to sleep. As he gently patted Lian on the back while holding her comfortably against him and slowly swaying back and forth, Jade's words echoed through his mind. Roy had a right to be worried about his wife's emotions and actions, just as she and Lian had started helping him get back into better living.

The father put the baby back in the crib as she resorted back to her light snores. Roy quietly closed the door behind him and sat on the couch, his mind running. Jade was stubborn and had great persistence, yet Roy wondered just how much she was certain of, was true.

* * *

_I had to have some suspicions rising. Jade I could easily see as the plausible choice and she gets Roy to question it himself. More to come fairly soon and don't forget to leave me a review! _


	11. Kaldur

_Thank you so much for everyone who has sent me lovely little reviews, put me or this story as favorites and added alerts. It makes me so happy every time I even see one. The more, the happier I get. Much thanks to XRedVengeance for the tremendous help with this chapter. He provided the song suggestion, pointed out a few things, and has helped with the entire story, keeping me on track with my silly little mistakes. _

_I'm so sorry if I disappoint anyone with the news of not writing a chapter about Barry and family. I was originally going to have where their main concern was Wally during all of this, but I could hardly get any inspiration to do so when it came down to it. Hopefully these ending chapters will make up for it. _

_This takes place shortly after Artemis joined on board, although her actual appearance is not in this chapter. Her part will be next. Enjoy and don't forget to leave me a review!_

* * *

**Kaldur**

_So I try to hold onto a time when nothing mattered  
And I can't explain what happened  
And I can't erase the things that I've done  
No I can't_

* * *

The plan was farther underway. That was the whole point of this operation, right? Kaldur didn't know much anymore. At some times, his life felt like a dream, pulling him along with the flow of the current.

Black Manta's apprentice stood in front of the glass pod where La'gann was contained, floating in the water and asleep. Kaldur barely shook his head from the thought of the new hero's foolishness in going solo against so many. From what had heard, the Light's new partner was collecting living samples for some sort of experiment. Kaldur hoped to keep his fellow Atlantian friend here with him and safe for as long as he could.

Kaldur soon headed to his quarters for some peace to rid the start of a pounding headache. As he laid down for a bit, he could not clear his mind from everything that happened.

He still longed for the day when he would wake and be back fighting alongside with his team instead of pretending to be against them. Zatanna and the original Robin teamed up to prank Wally, Artemis amused each time and every so often joining in the fun. Raquel and M'gann becoming good friends through their frequent shopping trips. Connor attempting to teach Wolf some tricks through Wally's suggestions. Garth and Tula beginning to get comfortable with the team and their debut as heroes.

_Tula_.

Kaldur closed his eyes at the memory of his dear friend. He remembered in detail what happened that ill-fated day. A few select members of the team including himself were sent on a rescue mission and to catch Oceanmaster. Tula was helping the remaining captives escape and failed to get out in time before the explosion. The whole team felt responsible for the newbie's death.

Kaldur almost immediately went up to his co-leader at the time in private. They had before talked about the dangerous possibility of someone going undercover to stop this Light group from the inside. Dick was unsure of actually pulling this off in the first place and didn't want the calm leader to be the one to do it. Kaldur argued that he would be the best choice for right now. Since finding out about his real father a few months prior, he felt that Tula's death would be a convincing stressor to ultimately leave.

Wally and Artemis walked in at some point during the discussion. The boy wonder mentioned a while before of pulling a hoax to his speedster best friend who didn't keep it from his girlfriend. Artemis understood the importance of this secret quest and offered a few pointers of blending in to pull it off. With a quick goodbye and promises to secretly keep in touch, Kaldur walked out in a frenzy, saying that he was done and wasn't going to return. The others bought his act and found out too late that he joined Black Manta.

That was over a year ago. Artemis and Wally left the team soon after the Robin took on the name Nightwing and the full leadership mantle.

It was hard for the first while, but it gradually got easier, even when he had to fight against his old friends. Yet, he needed to make sure to keep his distance as much as possible or as light of an attack as he could manage without blowing his cover.

When Kaldur got word of plans moving much faster than expected from his father, he knew that he needed more help. Artemis was the first to volunteer since she knew connections on the inside through her family and could handle it better than most heroes. Turning on the team now would be pointless for her if she wanted to win over the side of the villains. She was the one to suggest faking her death. The Atlantian hated bringing her into this and like this, but knew it was necessary, as did the other two who helped plan it.

Kaldur exhaled slowly and stood to head over to meet his father for the next assignment. As he walked calm and firm, he began to wonder how much longer he would have to keep this guise before returning home to his friends. Kaldur let his gaze drop along the tile floor as he sadly wondered if he would ever be accepted back after his double cross.

* * *

_Now I know this was more focused on Kaldur. I wanted to have some explanation on his part and ended up using no dialogue in this chapter. Wonder what we'll really see on the show if anything. Sorry if I got anything wrong, especially about Tula. I don't remember if her death was explained…_

_Anyway, more to come soon! :D  
_


	12. Artemis

_Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of you who have kept up with this story. Special thanks to those who have reviewed and helped me out throughout writing Gone. If it was possible, I'd send you all some dark chocolate no bake cookies through the computer. Alas, we don't have that sort of technology… yet anyway. Apologies for not getting this out sooner. I go to write the final chapter and end up consumed in a new story idea. That one will get posted shortly. _

_Now on to the chapter you've been waiting for. I have, but wanted to save it for the end. This song was requested by two different people. I'll take that as a hint to use it._

* * *

**Artemis**

_So stand in the rain  
Stand your ground  
Stand up when it's all crashing down  
Stand through the pain  
You won't drown  
And one day, what's lost can be found_

* * *

The hallways seemed to continue to extend with every fast paced step Artemis took. She felt trapped and deeply suffocating shortly after she descended under the water with Kaldur when she first boarded the submarine. Though she still harbored a slight fear of being stuck in a large body of water after various nearly drowning missions, the deep sea wasn't the only thing that made the archer feel trapped. Artemis was also stuck as someone she literally wasn't nor ever wanted to become. She chose the life of a hero over the line of Shadows that her father and sister followed for a reason. She didn't want to be like them. Yet, here she was. On her way to work for the enemy.

Passing a couple of hired men walking by, she rounded another corner before stopping to look out the window. Various species of fish and other ocean life blurred by. Artemis' heart sank. She just wished they could reach their destination sooner so she could breathe in some fresh air. She moved closer to the window, placing the tips of her fingers on the frame. Instead of sea-life, she saw her reflection staring back at her, one that she hardly recognized. Her facial features were tired and worn from all that happened in the past couple of days.

She eyed the medallion that hung around her neck, shielding her real identity from everyone else except for the other three in on the plan. From what she gathered, the charm was invisible to other's eyes. Hiding the fact that Artemis Crock was indeed still alive. She curled her fingers at the window as her gaze went beyond the scenic underwater view.

Artemis found herself back at the memorial service held for her. She stayed a safe distance away where everyone else mourned at her grave. She felt guilty for deceiving all those she had come to care about deeply. It took every bit of her resistance not to go over and expose herself to all her loved ones. Zatanna clasped her hands tightly together and held them close to her face with tears running, Connor stood stiff and emotionless, M'gann stared at the tombstone with tightened lips, Roy and Dick had their heads slightly bowed in respect, Wally's gaze was fixated in the distance as didn't bother holding back his evident loneliness, and Ollie held Dinah close as he placed a comforting hand on Paula. Artemis wanted to hug herself that day to dispel the yearning to hug her mother and ask for forgiveness for putting her through so much grief. Artemis had to look away from her mother's deep sadness and lean into her oak tree for support. When her sister left those years ago, Artemis wanted to make sure that she would never have to put her mother through so much pain as Jade had. Here she was, breaking her silent promise.

Artemis turned back to her funeral to see the gathered group beginning to disperse. As the numbers dwindled, she considered walking over to the grave to see what it would be like to go where her body supposedly lay. As discomforting as the thought was, she was still frozen in her spot, eyes peeled on the fresh pile of dirt. Feeling like someone was watching her, Artemis turned to see Jade staring off in her direction. She was lucky that she snuck away before her sister could fully recognize her though couldn't help that feeling deep inside that Jade had.

Soon the surface was in sight and buildings began to take shape. Artemis left the window in a rush, going back to her task to head outside. The hatch opens and she instantly recognizes the smell of rain. Pushing away her disappointment so not to show any sign of weakness to the others there, she stands tall and walks out in the front. The light rain tapped at her clothes and head, but Artemis could care less. She was going to enjoy this brief moment of open air and peace before her new challenges really began.

Artemis imagined the moment when she and Wally got caught up in the rain when leaving class. They first stood out in the gentle rain playing and laughing before it got harder without warning. They had to run to shelter in normal speed since they were out in public. The small cold was worth it when he stayed by her side, taking care of her until she got better. Oh how Artemis missed that life and Wally dearly.

"Tigress," Artemis slightly tensed at the sudden hand on her shoulder before relaxing, recognizing the gentle touch. She turned to face a serious Kaldur.

"It's time to meet our employers."

Artemis nodded, following close behind. As she walked past the buildings into a deep passageway, the only thing on her mind would continue to stay there for days to come while in this undercover mission. Will she be able to get out of this unscathed and return to Wally and those she had considered to be family? There was no telling how long it would all last.

* * *

_Yes! My goal was to complete this fic and I did before the show started back up. Now time to move on to new things. I have a ton of one shots in mind to write and a couple longer stories. Let's see what I get done from my ever growing checklist. _

_Oh, here's the complete list of songs used per chapter: _

_Jade: My Immortal by Evanescence_

_Wally: When You're Gone by Avril Lavigne _

_Connor: How to Save a Life by The Fray _

_Zatanna: Breathe by Taylor Swift _

_Lawrence: For the Love of a Daughter by Demi Lovato _

_Paula: What Hurt's the Most by Rascal Flatts or Cascada (depending on preferred version) _

_Dick: Secrets by OneRepublic _

_Ollie and Dinah: Why by Rascal Flatts _

_M'gann: Lost by Sarah McLachlan _

_Roy: Not Alone by Red _

_Kaldur: Untitled by Simple Plan _

_Artemis: Stand in the Rain by SuperChick_


End file.
